SURREAL MOMENT AS A LONE PIPER PLAYS AT SUNSET

It has been a bit uncomfortable in many anchorages the last few days a storm up north has kicked up a big swell and they have been finding their way into usually sheltered and peaceful bays.

Mind you discomfort is relative, I have just looked at what is going on in the UK Brrr.

So I have been a bit of a gypsy looking for a "honey spike" to anchor in and the approprialy named Elephants bay was it. The anchor was down, everything was squared away, the Cuba Libre was cold and the party boat with its amplified reggae had
departed so I was enjoying the sunset, albeit dozing a little due to lack of sleep, when I had a flashback to a similar evening anchored off Mull where the sunset was accompanied by a lone piper playing from the walls of the Duart castle.

The memories were so strong that I could almost hear the piper again, wait a minute I thhought to myself, I really can hear a piper. The unmistakable sound of the bagpipes were growing louder. I turned to look and a giant of the seas had sneaked up on me, with I hope, a real piper playing on the foredeck.



This leviathan was moving silently down the channel except for the strains of the bagpipes, however as it passed the spell was broken for at the rear of the boat was a giant stage with disco music belting out for the younger cruisers. I think younger in cruise ship terms is anyone under 60!

The picture is a publicity shot. Any picture I took looks like a firework show because of the flashes from the 5400 guests taking their pics of the sailboats at anchor.